Monday A La Mode: July 15, 2013

Another Monday is upon us and that means it's time for the 3rd edition of Monday A La Mode. This Monday is a special day at my house. My stepson is officially a teenager today. Yep, that's right, thirteen years old. So first and foremost I want to wish him a very happy birthday!

And now, let me share some of the things I discovered recently...

IN THE NEWS...

• Trayvon Martin's killer has been acquitted to the shock of most of the nation. What do you think of the verdict? The best news article I've seen on this and the one which most accurately mirrors my own viewpoint is from Mother Earth News. Click here to read the article. 
• If you don't already subscribe to Mother Earth News, give it a try. You will receive a single daily email from them.

DID YOU KNOW...

• Shea butter is in many bath and body products as a moisturizer, but it happens to be good for many skin conditions as well. Try a sugar scrub or bar soap that contains a good amount of shea butter to help with eczema, psoriascis, or rosacea. I tried a sugar scrub and spent a great deal of time analyzing the ingredient list to find out why my eczema cleared up while using it! The best way to make sure a product contains more than just a trace of the ingredient is to make your own. Speaking of making your own...

YOU MAY WANT TO READ...

• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Making Natural Beauty Products - You may not want to follow these recipes exactly and some of them require too many ingredients to justify making a small batch just for yourself, but this is a great guide to get you started. Most of the recipes are super easy to adjust to make them into just what you want! 
• As for fiction, I was reminded recently of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which is (in my opinion) one of the greatest books ever written. It's sheer simplicity is part of the wonder. I bought a first edition of this book as a gift for my son for Christmas 2012. He told me last week that it was the best gift he got last Christmas and is now a prized possession. If you haven't read it, I recommend an immediate trip to the local library!
• The August issue of Real Simple Magazine features seven centenarians. Great inspiration for keeping healthy and active and a great reminder to enjoy life, some of these seniors workout more often than I do and have more active social lives too! All at 100+ years old!

SAVE YOUR MONEY...

• Never buy air freshener again! Instead, simmer one or more of your favorite scents in water on the stove. Use a fan to spread the scent if you need. For starters try lemon peel (save the peels from lemons you've used) and cinnamon. If you have a stubborn odor you need to get rid of, add a few spoonfulls of baking soda to the pot.
• Later, pour the cooled mixture into a spray bottle and use in any specific areas, like bathrooms or pet areas. Remember this mixture may not keep long, depending upon what's in it.
• If you use soap nuts for your laundry, save the used ones! I keep a container on top of the dryer for mine. When you have a few cups of them, simmer in water on the stove and strain the resulting liquid into a spray bottle. You have a great multipurpose cleaner! Use it on countertops and stoves, on dishes, or on floors. 
• If you haven't tried soap nuts for laundry, I find I save a ton versus store bought detergents. Click here to see more info on soap nuts and/or buy your own.

I REALLY ENJOYED...

• The Joys of Simple Life is a blog written by Mai Songalia and I really enjoyed reading her post this week titled "Five Inspirational Quotes to Remind You Why Money Isn't Everything." I don't want to spoil it for you so I won't say more. Just click here to read it for yourself.

APPS TO TRY...

• I'm doing a lot of physical conditioning lately but sometimes I just don't have time to drive to the gym for strength training. Enter Sworkit, an app that lets you enter the time and type of workout you want. You can choose to have sound or not, workout for as few as five minutes, and choose cardio or strength. The app guides you through exercises and times you. 
• Then try the Runtastic Heart Rate app to measure your heart rate after (or before) your workout. Yes, your phone can measure your heart rate! You hold your finger over the camera and flash for just a couple of seconds.I love it!

WHAT IS THAT...

• If you've heard a lot about fracking lately, but wish you knew the facts, watch Gasland 2, a documentary series on HBO. See the trailer below and go have a great week!

GASLAND 2 HBO trailer from JFOX on Vimeo.


Don't forget to leave your comments or questions below. And if you like this post share it with your friends via the Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ buttons below. 

World Environment Day (WED)

In 1972 the United Nations decided to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment by establishing World Environment Day. WED is celebrated on June 5 every year and is the final day of a year-long campaign. 

This year's campaign slogan is Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Footprint and is aimed at getting people to be aware of and act on food waste.

Think: Be a concious consumer by making shopping lists, planning meals, preparing appropriate quantities to avoid waste. Don't shop hungry and you'll avoid buying more food than you can eat before it spoils. Know the companies whose products you purchase. (A great resource are the many product guides available from Ethical Consumer.)


Eat: Eat smarter. Grow your own because you'll be less likely to waste food that you put so much effort into producing, serve leftovers before they spoil, and use fresh foods before using frozen or canned. Buy local to ensure a shorter time from field to table and food that lasts longer in your home.


Save: If you don't need it, don't buy it. And don't insist on cosmetically perfect food. You'll be helping people around the world, as well as your health, the planet, and your pocket book. 

A few stats to think about before you throw food in the trash:

• There are 7 billion people on Earth now, and that number will be 9 billion by 2050. That's a lot of people to feed.
• 1/3 of food produced in the world is wasted or lost before it reaches consumers.
• There are approximately 870 million undernourished people in the world. 
• Wasted food means hungry and undernourished people, as well as wasted natural resources (land, energy, water used to produce it) and money.
• Rotting food in landfills accounts for a significant amount of methane emissions, which contributes to global warming.

Why is so much food going to waste?

• Pests often get food before consumers do.
• In poor areas, storage facilities are often inadequate to keep food for very long.
• Ineffeciency in the supply chain often means food is spoiled before it's eaten.
• Buyers look for cosmetically perfect food so retailers throw out specimens that are less than perfect.
• Carelessly allowing leftovers and fresh food to spoil at home accounts for much of the food waste in developed countries. 
• Caterers and restaurants throw away excess food that is prepped but not ordered.

For more info on the Think.Eat.Save. Reduce Your Footprint campaign, click here to download the WED booklet in PDF format.

The United Nations is encouraging anyone who participates in World Environment Day to share your events, photos, etc. Just click here to go to www.unep.org/wed and upload your WED news. 

I'd also love to hear what you are doing to increase awareness and/or take action on food waste. Please leave a comment below if you're doing your part or planning to do your part!

Global Warming Is Not A Priority For the US Government

freedigitalphotos.net

Many nations around the world have made significant changes and have drawn up specific guidelines to limit their impact on global warming. The United States is not one of them. Known for many years as a world leader, the U.S. cannot seem to grasp the urgency of climate change. This is happening now! And for those that would shrug your shoulders and say "not in my lifetime so I'm not worried about it," that has now changed according to a disturbing article published by the New York Times over the weekend. 

In the meantime, don't wait on the government to tell you how to limit carbon emissions. Get to work on this issue yourself. Many small actions add up to a significant difference and that's what is needed to really make an impact on the rate of global warming. 

• Open the blinds and turn off the electric lights during the day. 
• Use cold water instead of hot whenever possible. 
• Buy products with less packaging. 
• Drive or bike when you are going a short distance, and carpool when possible if you need to go further. 
• Consider living closer to work or school.
• Be sure televisions and other electronics are turned off and unplugged when not in use.
• Plant a tree or some shrubbery...anything with leaves.
• Plant a vegetable garden or buy locally grown produce only.

These are just a few suggestions and all are easy. Don't think you can't make a difference because you can. Set an example for those around you. Explain to them your reasoning when they ask why you do it. 

Click here to read the New York Times article about global warming. I'd love to hear your reaction in the comments section below. Have some simple suggestions for limiting carbon emissions at home? Post those below also. I want to know!

Sponsor Spotlight: The Better World Shopping Guide

Recently I received the 3rd edition of The Better World Shopping Guide by Ellis Jones.  Having already owned the 2nd edition of this book, and already being a fan, I was super excited when Dr. Jones decided to send me several copies of the newest edition for me and my readers! 

The Better World Shopping Guide grades companies based on 5 major issues:

1. Environmental Sustainability
2. Human Rights
3. Community Involvement
4. Animal Protection
5. Social Justice

Thousands of hours of and two decades of research have been put into grading these companies, which finally results in a report card score, with A+ being the best possible rating and F being the lowest. 

The companies are conveniently divided into categories such as "Frozen Dinners" and "Gasoline" and "Airlines." There are 70 categories in this edition. 

There are also tidbits of information with each category. "Green Heros" are listed, as are "Corporate Villains," along with the reasons behind that label. Each category also has a list of additional resources that I find interesting and handy as a blogger.

My favorite part of The Better World Shopping Guide are the Top 10 lists and the 20 Best and 20 Worst lists. (Yes, I am a list maker!)

The book is small so it's easy to keep it handy in your purse or in your car's glove box. Carry it in the grocery store or check it when deciding on a new bank. Spend a few minutes looking up some of the companies from which you frequently purchase products and you may change your mind about some of them! I did!

There is so much information in this guide that I can't begin to cover it all! I love it! For more information or to order a copy for yourself, visit www.betterworldshopper.org. There is also an iPhone app that you can download called Better World Shopper.

Dr. Ellis Jones, the author, has given me some extra copies of The Better World Shopping Guide to give away to my readers! See details of the giveaway and enter to win by clicking here.